Stoicism and Smiles
by smeltlikesafety
Summary: Reno blinks at Rude's silence, before scooting just a little bit closer on his stool, closing the distance between himself and Rude. "Ruuuude," He whines. "I… I want… my EMR."


**AN: The prompt for this fic was to write about a character losing something extremely important to him. I chose Reno, losing his EMR. :D**

* * *

><p>"Seen my EMR, partner?" Reno slurs, his ponytail dangling over his shoulder, like a trail of red lava trickling down the side of a volcano.<p>

With Reno being every bit as dangerous.

Rude exhales slowly, eyes hidden behind his trusty shades. (If Reno, in his angsty glory, decides to break it, Rude has brought an extra pair with him today.) Rude is exhausted, tensed up, and just wants a night out to wind down before bed. He leans his forearms onto the counter, looking determinedly in front, in no way acknowledging that he had heard the redhead.

"…Rude?" Reno calls out again from his seat a mere foot away, his voice soft and questioning.

Rude blinks behind the shades, inwardly surprised at the difference in Reno's tone. Just a few moments ago, the redhead had been his usual self – snarky, cocky, speaking with that distinct drawl. What…?

_Sniff._

Was that… a _sniff?_ Rude inclines his head slightly to the right, forgetting about subtlety in his surprise, so that he can peer at his partner from the corner of his eyes. The sight that meets his gaze shocks him.

The redhead sits on the bar stool, his Turk uniform worn carelessly, as always. At least that wasn't out of the ordinary. But his eyes are red-rimmed, those blue-green eyes gazing up at Rude imploringly.

That wasn't right. Reno never _implored, _he_ demanded._

Reno looks just like a child.

"…Reno." It wasn't a question. Rude turns slowly to face his partner, as if afraid that any sudden movement might set him off. Like a cornered animal.

Reno sniffs again, louder this time, and repeats himself. "Where's my EMR?" Rude looks at him from behind the shades, noticing how he rocks slowly, forward and backward, forward and back.

Rude blinks, although Reno can't see it. He glances at the counter, and doesn't have to count the bottles to know that Reno is long gone.

Reno blinks at Rude's silence, before scooting just a little bit closer on his stool, closing the distance between himself and Rude. "Ruuuude," He whines. "I… I want… my EMR."

Rude reaches up, pinches the bridge of his nose. "You misplaced it." Rude then freezes, wishing Reno wouldn't hear what he had just said. Damn it! I shouldn't have just told him that-

"I… What?" Rude feels a jolt of dread coarse through his veins at the hint of desperation in the redhead's voice. Rude stays silent, his right hand clenching around his beer bottle, a little harder than necessary.

Reno sniffs again, blinking wetly as he regards Rude in his drunken haze. "I lost... my rod? But… I need my EMR… Rude, I want… my EMR."

Rude stands up, dropping a small sack of gil on the counter as he reaches for Reno. "Let's go back," He suggests softly, avoiding eye contact with his partner. He knows that meeting Reno's gaze will make it harder to drag him out this time. "Okay?" He adds, hoping Reno would give in.

Instead, Reno pulls away from Rude's outstretched hand, and turns to match Rude's movement, obvious tears now welling up in his eyes. "But… I need… MY EMRRR," He howls, as Rude grimaces and turns to the dozen pairs of eyes now fixated on the couple of Turks at the counter.

"Reno-"

"I NEED MY EMR, DAMMIT, I-"

"Reno, shut up-"

"WHERE THE HELL IS IT?"

"Sigh…"

"RUDE YOU ASS, YOU BETTER HELP ME FIND MY DAMN EMR OR I SWEAR-"

Rude never found out what Reno swore to do, because Reno attempted to advance on Rude and attack him, tripping on his feet and landing on the ground in the process. Reno mewls from the floor, his long red hair splayed across the floorboards, as he gives up the act and bawls openly, howling for all he's worth.

Rude promptly lifts the redhead from the floor and bodily drags him out of Seventh Heaven, making his way back to their apartment as fast as he can, mouth still pressed into a thin line as the redhead digs nails into his back, yells profanities and weeps openly against his ear.

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><p>"Office, now."<p>

The telephone line clicked unceremoniously, as Reno muttered curses under his breath and stuffed his cell back into the pocket of his suit. Sure, he loved Tseng, but sometimes…

"Ya wanted me, bossman?" Reno lounges into Tseng's office, grabbing the biggest armchair in front of the desk before Tseng can comment.

Tseng hears the nickname, but doesn't comment. "I hear you lost your EMR," He says coolly, impeccable suit flawless as always.

Reno shrugs, not feeling as nonchalant as he looks. "Yeah? But whatever. I'll make another… Or use the gun Rude uses."

Tseng inclines his head just a fraction of a centimeter, not bothering to point out that that would leave Rude very defenceless. "Really? I hear you made quite a scene in Seventh Heaven last night…" His eyes glimmer momentarily in amusement, the corners of his lips twitching upwards slightly, unnoticeable to anyone but the Turks.

Reno, of course, notices the gesture. "Rude… you bastard… You and your big mouth," He growls under his breath, making a mental note to drop something into Rude's dinner that night. He shrugs again. "Gotta let off some steam, yanno?" He pauses, before continuing, "So, what ya want with me this early, boss?"

Tseng turned around, moved to the back of his desk. "Just wanted to let you know…" He holds up an electromag rod, before twirling it slightly around his slender fingers. "…that I found something familiar this morning."

Reno's eyes go wide, before he hops off of the couch. In two seconds, he's grinning by Tseng's side, reaching out for the rod. "Well whataya know…" He drawls, as he retrieves the weapon from Tseng's grip. "You aren't that bad, are ya, bossman?"

This time, Tseng grimaces slightly at the name, before waving his hand dismissively. "Your paperwork is waiting in your office." He states, already turning back to the work lying incomplete on his desk.

Reno stares at the back of his boss, before instantly pouting, frozen halfway in his attempt to hug his boss. "Whaaat?" He drawls, fixating the frown permanently on his face. "That's it?"

"Oh, right," Tseng adds, turning back around to face Reno. "Do you want to know where I found it?" Before waiting for a reply, Tseng continues, "I found it shoved in the space between the drainage pipe and the wall in the fourth floor toilets. No," He emphasized, tilting his chin up just as Reno opened his mouth. "Don't tell me what it was doing there. Now, the paperwork awaits." Tseng then turns back to his desk, moving gracefully to seat himself in front of it.

Reno grins like a cat, winking lazily at his boss and saluting casually, before moving out the door.

When Tseng hears the door click shut, he swivels in his chair to gaze at the camera situated behind him, left hand holding onto his cellphone, right arm splayed out comfortably on the armrest. "Did you see all of that, Rude?" He murmurs into the handset, sounding as if he were sealing a business deal for ShinRa.

A grunt on the other end of the line affirmed that he had indeed seen the episode.

Tseng allowed an almost-smile to grace his features as he heard his fellow Turk's response. "So you _will_ honor your part of the deal and train with Elena, in return for finding Reno's EMR?"

It was as good as asking a rhetorical question. Rude hung up, Tseng hearing a brief click before the tone sounded into his ear.

This time, Tseng turned away from the camera, moving to shuffle papers on his desk, and allowed himself a genuine smile.


End file.
